


I'll Be Fine

by SilvermistNightray



Series: Klance Drabbles [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Feels, Hurt/Comfort, I am so sorry, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 07:25:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7675408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilvermistNightray/pseuds/SilvermistNightray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The hurt inside Lance sprung anew, turning into the kind of pain that numbed one's senses and made them lose all their emotions. Lance welcomed the numbness. It was all he could do for the beautiful boy in front of him. The beautiful boy he had grown to love. The beautiful boy who didn't love him back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Be Fine

**Author's Note:**

> For [Kiko](http://kikokay-k.tumblr.com/) and [Ai](http://saltyhina.tumblr.com/). Don't say I never indulge you and your prompts.

Lance could feel the sweat dripping down his back as he dragged Shiro to the castle, one arm slung across his shoulders as he steadied the taller paladin with a hand on his hip. The Galra based they attacked had more soldiers than they expected. Apparently another troop had docked just as they infiltrated, heard the noise of their fight, and came rushing to help. They both stayed behind to give the others cover, Shiro all but throwing Keith out the door.

Lance tried to tell himself he didn't see the anguish on Keith's face, didn't hear him shout the other man's name as the doors closed, didn't think that Keith had forgotten he had been there as well.

The cuts and bruises on his body were aching, but they kept him grounded, reminded him that he had to get them both back or neither of them will ever get to see the red paladin again. They were still a little farther off when he spotted them, five figures clustered together at the base of the castle ship. The figure in red turned as they approached, and Lance pretended that it was his name Keith was yelling as he ran towards them.

* * *

Keith hadn't left Shiro's pod as he healed. He didn't even leave to sleep in his own bed, choosing instead to lean against the pod and close his eyes. Lance would pass by from time to time, checking in on Shiro when Keith was awake, and leaving warm blankets when Keith wasn't.

Once, Allura caught him.

"What are you doing?" The Altean Princess asked, quietly walking towards him. "Keith always asks who leaves the blankets. Why didn't you tell him it was you?"

"He wouldn't believe me." Lance replied in a sad tone, wrapping yet another warm blanket over the other paladin's shoulders. "Hey Allura, can you do me a favor?"

"It depends on the favor, Lance."

"Can you--" Lance hesitated, glancing at the sleeping paladin. "Can you tell him it was you who left the blankets?"

Allura had almost asked him why, but Lance had kept his gaze on Keith. She looked between the paladins, noting the sorrow on the blue one's eyes as he gazed at the sleeping red one. Allura knew that look. It was the same look her father had when her mother passed away.

The look of someone letting go of the person they loved.

"I'll do it, Lance." Allura agreed, walking over to put both her hands on the boy's shoulder. "Now, go to bed. You must be as tired as he is."

"Thanks, Allura." Lance smiled at her, throwing one last glance over his shoulder before walking away.

* * *

Keith had come back from the last mission tired, aching, and angry. Lance followed close behind him, watching him as he marched through the hall. The red paladin practically threw his helmet down on the floor, activating his bayard and almost slicing through one of the castle's walls with it. Lance had grabbed it and held on tight, bracing himself for the other's retaliation. He held the bayard even as Keith let go, allowed Keith's rage and sorrow to wash over him as the other paladin continued to scream and yell.

"WE COULD HAVE SAVED HIM, LANCE!" Keith screamed, throwing a punch to Lance's shoulder. Lance didn't dodge. "WE COULD HAVE SAVED HIM! WE COULD HAVE STAYED AND FOUGHT THE GALRA OFF! HE SHOULD STILL BE HERE! HE SHOULD STILL BE ALIVE!"

"My orders were to take you and get out." Lance said evenly, barely flinching as Keith landed a blow square on his chest.

"WHEN DID YOU EVER CARE ABOUT FOLLOWING ORDERS?!" Keith continued to rage. "THE ONE TIME YOU DON'T DISOBEY THEM IS THE ONE TIME IT FUCKING COUNTS! HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU DO THIS TO HIM, LANCE?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO SHIRO?!"

"Shiro wanted you safe." Lance gritted out, gripping Keith's bayard tight. "He wants you to lead Voltron, Keith. He wanted you safe. I only made sure of that."

" _FUCK. YOU._ " Keith stormed off, elbowing through Hunk and Pidge as they tried to stop him, not even glancing at the two worried Alteans who could only look at him.

The silence between them grew thick, Lance staring at the floor as everyone else stared at him.

"Lance?"

It was Pidge who first spoke, their hand covering Lance's as they pried Keith's bayard away.

"Are you okay?"

Lance looked down at them, smiling bitterly. "I'll be fine."

* * *

Despite Pidge and Hunk's protests, Lance had offered to take Keith's dinner to his room. Coran would have refused to give him the dinner altogether and take it up to Keith himself, but Allura had assured them all that it was okay.

"Are you going to be okay?" Allura asked as she handed him Keith's dinner, a hand placed gently on his shoulder.

Lance kept his eyes on the tray of green goo. "I will." Lance nodded, his voice steady and sure. "I've got to make sure he'll be okay, too."

He left the room without looking back, missing the worried looks on his friends' faces as he trudged toward what he knew would be a new meaning to the word 'torture'.

Knocking on the other paladin's door, he didn't wait for a reply before speaking. "Keith, it's Lance. I've got dinner. I'm coming in."

The doors slid open to reveal a room bathed in darkness and disarray. Keith was sitting on the floor amidst it all, his head pillowed on the side of his bed, his shoulders shaking from silent sobs.

"I-I-I-I c-c-couldn't s-save him!" Keith choked out, his voice breaking. "I couldn't save him, Lance! All the days I spent training, fighting, and I couldn't save the one person that mattered!"

Lance bit down at the hurt that swelled in his chest, forcing himself to move deeper into the room. "You tried your best, Keith. We both did." He sat down a few paces in front of the sobbing boy, placing the tray in between them. "Come one, pal. You gotta eat."

"I couldn't tell him, Lance." Keith turned to face him, his eyes red and puffy from crying, tears still visibly rolling down his face. "I couldn't tell Shiro I loved him."

The hurt inside Lance sprung anew, turning into the kind of pain that numbed one's senses and made them lose all their emotions. Lance welcomed the numbness. It was all he could do for the beautiful boy in front of him. The beautiful boy he had grown to love. The beautiful boy who didn't love him back.

Lance reached out toward him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed. "I know." He looked into the other's eyes and smiled. "I'm sure Shiro loved you, too."

**Author's Note:**

> Like everything I write, I appreciate all your comments, suggestions, and rants. Y'all can hit me up here or on my Tumblr. For now, please excuse me while I sob quietly in the corner.


End file.
